Hardware
Cable variant with 50x capacity launched, good for BharatNet, says telecom panel secy
MUMBAI: Sterlite Tech, an end-to-end global technology leader in smarter digital networks, has bolstered its all-new FlashFWD 5G Solution with the launch of 1152F variant cables at India Mobile Congress (#IMC2017).
As part of its new FlashFWD 5G Series, this new indigenous cable variant comes with over 50 times the capacity of the typical cable deployed in India.
While launching this solution, Telecom Commission (DoT) secretary (T) and chairman Aruna Sundararajan said, “I am delighted to launch Sterlite Tech’s 5G cable that has been completely made in India. This is really a next-generation product. As the world looks at more fibre deployment, I think this is one of the products that will be a leader. This technology also fulfils the Government of India objectives. As BharatNet and other optical fibre projects roll-out in the country, we will see more such technology deployments.”
FlashFWD 1152F is NABL certified and complies with the latest global standards of IEC.60794 series, ANSI/ICEA S-87-640, Telcordia GR-20, and ITU-T Recommendations.
Sterlite Tech CEO Anand Agarwal asserted, “We are proud to have designed and manufactured this dense network solution for mobile backhaul in India. Sterlite Tech manufactures these products across the value chain from core silicon to semiconductor-grade glass to optical fibres and optical fibre cables, making us the most integrated player globally. This solution proposes the usage of one fibre cable and one duct solution instead of putting multiple ducts, which are subsequently unusable.”
Sterlite CTO Badri Gomatam said, “These cable solutions have 50 times the capacity of the current cables deployed in the country and future-proof for 20 years. With efficient use of limited duct space, the 1152F cable features a rugged design that protects the network in harsh weather and impact situations, increasing life expectancy to at least double the current average lifetime with lowest carbon-footprint.”
Hardware
India clears Rs 1.6 lakh crore semiconductor projects under Semicon India
Ten projects cleared as production begins and design ecosystem gathers pace
NEW DELHI: India’s push to become a global electronics powerhouse is gaining momentum, with the Semicon India Programme driving the creation of a full-fledged semiconductor ecosystem from design to manufacturing.
Launched in 2022, the programme aims to build capabilities across the entire value chain, including chip design, fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging. In just four years, the government has approved 10 semiconductor projects with a combined investment commitment of around Rs 1.6 lakh crore.
Two of these facilities have already begun commercial production, including units led by Micron Technology Inc. and Kaynes Technology India Limited. Two more plants are expected to go live later this year, signalling that India’s chip ambitions are moving from blueprint to factory floor.
The broader electronics manufacturing story has also seen sharp growth over the past decade. Production has jumped from roughly Rs 1.9 lakh crore in 2014-15 to about Rs 12 lakh crore in 2024-25, while exports have surged nearly eightfold. Mobile phone manufacturing, once heavily import-dependent, now meets almost all domestic demand and has become a major export driver.
Alongside manufacturing, the government is investing heavily in design capabilities. Through access to advanced chip design tools provided free to 315 universities, students and researchers have clocked over 200 lakh hours of usage. This effort has already resulted in 211 chip tape-outs from 75 institutions.
Support for startups is also picking up pace. Twenty-four chip design projects have been approved, targeting sectors such as surveillance, energy, communications and IoT. Of these, 14 companies have collectively raised over Rs 650 crore in venture funding, while several designs have progressed to fabrication, including at advanced nodes.
To strengthen supply chains, India has also signed semiconductor cooperation agreements with countries including the United States, Japan, the European Union, Singapore and the Netherlands. These partnerships aim to reduce global dependencies while boosting domestic capabilities.
The employment impact is equally significant. The electronics sector now supports an estimated 25 lakh jobs, with mobile manufacturing alone accounting for nearly half. As more semiconductor units come online under the India Semiconductor Mission, indirect job creation across supply chains is expected to rise further.
Sharing these updates in Parliament, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology minister of state Jitin Prasada underscored the government’s focus on building a resilient, end-to-end semiconductor ecosystem.
With factories taking shape, designs moving to silicon and investments flowing in, India’s semiconductor story is steadily shifting gears from ambition to execution.
